Special Correspondent
Ukhrul, February 12:
In a thunderous press statement that reads like a declaration of political war, the NSCN/GPRN has accused Kuki militants and Indian security forces of executing a coordinated “scorched-earth operation” against the Tangkhul Naga community, calling the burning of houses at Litan a premeditated act of aggression and a grave betrayal of the rule of law.
Rejecting what it described as “manufactured narratives” spread by Kuki frontal organisations, the NSCN –IM asserted that the truth of Litan has been deliberately distorted to shield the real perpetrators. According to the statement, the violence began with the assault of a Tangkhul individual by intoxicated Kuki youths, which was later exploited by Kuki militants as a trigger to unleash systematic arson against Tangkhul homes.
The organisation alleged that security forces were not mere bystanders but active participants in the violence, with some personnel reportedly operating alongside militants and concealing their identities. “The complicity of the security forces is appalling,” the statement declared, accusing them of abandoning neutrality and enabling targeted attacks.
Describing the incident as a calculated campaign rather than a spontaneous clash, the NSCN-IM claimed that Kuki militants acted with political patronage and institutional backing. It accused Kuki organisations of playing the victim card while allegedly masking what it termed a “blatant assault” on the Tangkhul people.
The statement further criticised the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council for appealing to the Prime Minister of India, alleging that the move was intended to manipulate national opinion while ignoring the alleged suffering of the Tangkhul community. The NSCN-IM framed the Litan episode as a symbol of broader aggression against the Naga people and their political aspirations.
Calling the incident a gross violation of human rights and constitutional principles, the NSCN warned that the events at Litan have pushed the region closer to a dangerous point of no return. “The die has been cast,” the statement declared, asserting that the organisation would stand firm to defend what it described as the land and rights of the Naga nation.
As ashes settle over Litan, the battle over truth, justice, and political legitimacy has only begun. The flames that consumed houses may now threaten to consume Manipur’s fragile peace itself, the statement added.